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M. J. DWYER MEANS OF DECORATING LEATHER July 7, 1931.

Filed May 22. 1930 Patented July 7, 1931 NITED STATES PATENT orricsMEANS OF DECORATING LEATHER Application filed May 22 1930. Serial No.454,811.,

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for decoratingleather or the like, and pertains more particularly to an improvedprocess and apparatus for coloring predetermined portions of the vampsof ladies shoes or the like.

Heretofore, as far as I am aware, all usual methods of producing adecorative pattern consisting of colored geometrical figures arm rangedat perdetermined points upon a leather vamp, have usually comprised aprinting or stenciling operation upon theflat surface of the vamp beforeit is stretched over the last, lVhen a vamp so prepared is applied tothe last in the usual manner, the stretching of the leather distorts thecolored figures and impairs the desired efiect of the pattern bychanging the outline of the figures. If, for example, the pattern asoriginally applied to 2 the fiat leather surface consistedof a pleasingarrangement of colored dots of circular outline, the lasting operationwould irregularly distort the circular outlines of most of the dots;some would be square, others oblong, and others diamond shape, in thelasted vamp.

It is, accordingly, the principal purpose of this invention to remedythe foregoing ob jectionable result of former coloring methods byproviding an improved process and apparatus for so coloring a vampbefore lasting that the original outline and arrangement of the coloredfigures will be preserved after the lasting operation. Morespecifically, my improved method includes as a step the pre-stretchingof predetermined portions of the leather surface, and the subsequentstep of coloring said portion.

My invention is illustrated in a recom- 4o mended form in theaccompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a strip of leather having a series of coloreddots produced by my improved process;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a pair of plates preferably employed forstretching predetermined circular portions of the leather, the platesbeing compressed upon the leather by a pair of dies; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a preferred mode of coloring thestretched portions of the leather.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention the preferred apparatusfor practicing my improved process comprises a pair of complementedplates 4 and 5 for producing locally stretched portions in the surfaceof a leather sheet 6, in accordance with a predetermined pattern. Thepattern, as here shown, consists of a series of regularly spaced coloreddots 7 of circular outline, and the plates are accordingly formed toproduce stretched portions of similar contour.

Hence, the bottom plate 4 has a series of round protuberances 8 upon itsupper face, the protuberances corresponding to the predeterminedpattern; and the top plate 5 has complemented openings 9 therethrough,the openings preferably counterbored to provide a Wide outer mouth and asmaller and shar edged base. It will be apparent that tffe contours ofthe complemental protuberances and openings may be varied as desired toproduce raised and stretched portions of any suitable size or shape.

In carrying out my process, the leather vamp 6 is placed between the twoplates, and the plates are pressed together by any suitable means suchas the die members 10 and 11 shown in Fig. 2. This operation formsraised portions-12 in theleather corresponding to the cooperatingprotubcrances 8 and openings or recesses 9 of the respective plates; andit is obvious that said portions of the leather are stretched radiallyby the compression of the plates.

- The plates are then removed from the die press or other compressionapparatus and the up er plate or, if desired, both plates are prefera 1yheld upon the leather by suitable clamps (not shown), in order that theprotuberances 12 may be colored while employing the upper plate as astencil. The"color may be applied in several known modes; in Fig. 3 forexample, a brush 13 is inserted in the openings 9 to color the stretchedportions of'the leather, thereby to produce the dots 14 of Fig. 1.

When a leather vamp colored in the aforesaid manner is then applied tothe last, the raised portions 12 may be flattened out by the stretchingof the vamp, but the outline of the colored dots will be maintainedwithout distortion.

I claim:

1. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather sheet whichcomprises first stretching the-sheet locally at predetermined portionsthereof, and then coloring said stretched portions.

2. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather vamp beforethe same is lasted which comprises first stretching the vamp locally toproduce stretched portions having outlines corresponding to the figuresto be colored, and then coloring the stretched portions.

3. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather vamp beforethe same is lasted which comprises first raising and stretching thesurface of the vamp at predetermined locations to produce raisedportions corresponding in outline to the figures to be produced, andthen coloring said raised portions.

4. Apparatus for preparing a sheet of leather to be colored comprisingtop and bottom plates adapted to be compressed upon the leather sheet,one of the plates having surface protuberances corresponding in outlineto the figures to be colored, and the other plate havin complementa-lrecesses in its opposed sur ace, and means for compressing the plateswiththe sheet between them, there-- by to produce raised and stretchedportions in the leather sheet.

5. Apparatus for use in producing colored figures on a leather vampbefore the same is lasted, comprising top and bottom plates adapted tobe compressed upon the vamp placed therebetween, the bottom plate havingsurface protuberances corresponding in outline to'the figure to becolored, and the top plate having complemental openings therethrough,and means for compressing the plates upon the vamp, thereby to produceraised and stretched portions in the vamp at the base of said openings.

6. Apparatus for use in producing colored figures on a leather vampbefore the same is lasted, comprising top and bottom plates adapted tobe compressed upon the vamp placed therebetween, the bottom plate havingsurface protuberances correspondin in outline to the figure to becolored, an the top MIGHEAL J. DWYER.

